Washing machine drive



Sept. 12, 1950 E. w. KYLE 2,521,983

WASHING MACHINE DRIVE Filed March 15, 1947 '3 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIGI have/77hr: 5 k En 0-5 W Ky/e Sept. 12, 1950 E. w. KYLE WASHING MACHINE DRIVE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 15, 1947 IILLLIII' Sept 12, 1950 w. KYLE 2,521,983

I WASHING MACHINE DRIVE Filed March 13, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 /nvenf0r:

7705 Vb Kyle J his Aw is.

Patented Sept. 12, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,521,983 WASHING MACHINE DRIVE Enos Wood Kyle, Melville, Saskatchewan, Canada Application March 13, 1947, Serial No. 734,353

2 Claims. 1

My invention relates to improvements in power operated washing machines, an object being to provide a device of the character herewithin described largely for use in those districts where electricity is unavailable or high priced, since, with regard to the former consideration, my machine may be operated by a gasoline motor or the like, while with regard to both considerations, the wringer of the machine may be hand operated after a handle associated therewith has been de-clutched when it is desired only to wring out a few articles, whereby rendering unnecessary the labor of starting a gasoline motor or the consumption of electric current.

A further object is to provide a device of the character here within described for operation either by electric or gasoline motor which functions in accordance with new notions of design in virtue of which the machine may when necessary be quickly repaired and kept in order by the average owner, the machine being also conspicuously simple in its mechanical design, and accordingly low in purchase price.

With the foregoing objects in view, and such other objects and advantages as will become apparent to those skilled in the art to whichthis invention relates as this specification proceeds, my invention consists essentially in the arrangement and construction of parts all as hereinafter more particularly described, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a sectional elevation of my invention.

Figure 2 is anenlarged plan view on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a further enlarged plan detail as viewed from the line 33 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is an enlarged detail of my wringer sleeve substantially as viewed from the line 4-4 of Figure 1 but showing the sleeve in its low position. M

Figure 5 is a cross-section of an alternative form of wringer-clutch.

Figure 6 is a sectional detail on the line 6--6 of Figure 5.

In the drawings like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the difi'erent figures.

Describing my invention in connection with the conventional parts thereof, such as the tub I, agitator 2, supporting legs 3 and the wringer assembly 4 (exclusive of the wringer roll drive however) the wringer 4 will be seen to be mounted upon a projecting bracket 5 extending upwardly from which is a trunnion 6 designed to carry the sleeve 1 of my wringer. Upon the cylindrical wall of the sleeve diametrically opposed, spiral scrollslots 8 and 9 are positioned, these slots being of greater length in a horizontal direction than height and intendedto receive the pair of studs I 0 projecting from trunnion 6.

From the foregoing construction it will be recognized that when the wringer 4 is rotated about the trunnion 6 from the position of Figure l whereat studs I!) are rested in the recesses H at the lower ends of slots 8 and 9 at which time the wringer will be caused to descend a little until the perimeter i 2 engages the horizontal upper surface it of bracket 5 as per Figure 4 at which time it is tobe understood that the studs ill will be seated in the recesses I4 at the upper and opposite end of slots 8 and 9. It is to be understood that the end recesses II and M are provided to act against undesired rotation of my wringer 4. V v v Freely mounted for rotation on the wringer drive shaft l 5 is a pulley [6 having a hub I! from which projects a pair of diametrically opposed clutch pieces I8. Secured for rotation to shaft i5 via the splines i9 for limited movement in the direction of arrow 20 is a hand wheel 2| provided with the operating handle 22 and with a hub portion 23 projecting therefrom in opposition to hub l1, and having formed therein the pair of diametrically opposed recesses 24. It will thus be apparent that when hand wheel 2| is moved to the right with respect to the accompanying Figure 1, pulley I 6 may be effectively keyed to shaft i5 for operation of the wringer rollers 25 via the belt 26. In the position of Figure 1 however the'rollers may be operated manually by rotation of the hand wheel 2| while pulley l6 remains idle.

In the accompanying Figures 5 and 6 I have illustrated a modification of the wringer clutch arrangement described in the last preceding parag'raph, and in the embodiment of Figure 5 the wringer drive shaft l5 extends through a cylin- Knob 3,2 is entirely free and unkeyed so that it may be taken hold of as conveniently when the handwheel 29 is rotating, as when the same is stationary.

Within the boxing 21 is a cylindrical block 34 provided with the central passageway 35 through which extends shaft I5, and two passageways 36 functioning as guideways for the stems 31. These stems project through the end wall 38 of boxing 21 as well as through apertures provided therefor in the spokes 39 of hand wheel 29, the ends of said stems being screw threaded to receive nuts 4!! so that hand wheel 29 and boxing 21 1'0- tate as a unit.

The blocks 34 are provided with recesses 4| in which a pair of blocks 42 may move, and extending diagonally and convergently from the blocks 42 is a pair of key shifting rods 43. These rods are intended to move in the direction of arrow 44, when the stems 3! are moved endwise via hand wheel 29 and knob 32 as aforesaid, Rods 43 extend through passageways 414 in the radially movable key-shifting blocks 45 integral with which are key-pieces 46 bevelled as at 4! and projectable through apertures 48 provided therefor. in the wall of boxing 21. The radial movement of the blocks 45 is controlled upon the vertical flanks thereof by the guide pieces 49.

. Journalled upon the boxing 2I in the plane of the keys 45 is a free, wringer drive pulley B corresponding in function to pulley I6 .of Figure l, pulley 59 being preserved in the relative relationship to boxing 27 as shown, by a pair of flanges 5I and 52. By reference to Figure 6 it will be seen that the inner rim 53 of pulley 59 is provided at substantially diametrically opposite loci with bevelled recesses 54, and thus it will be understood that if pressure is being applied radially upon the keys 46 tending to proiectthe same, they canmove outwardly when the recesses 54 come into alignment therewith, in which positionit will be obvious that pulley 50 is keyed for rotation to boxing 21 for further rotation as per arrow 55.

, It is to be understood that boxing 21 is maintained against longitudinal movement upon shaft by. the collar 56, and that boxing 21 and hand wheel 29 are rotated as a unit in view of the keybar 51 which engages elongated recesses in shaft I5 and hub 28. The hub is however designed to slide on the key-bar which should therefore be made fast to shaft I5 although if desired the keybar might be made a driving fit within collar 28 and slide on the keyway provided in shaft I5.

With the foregoing arrangement it will be recognized that I am able to endshift stems 31 to retract keys 46 while boxing 21 is rotating, or may project the keys 46 radially outwards while pulley 50.-alone is rotating and the boxing is idle by applying pressure against knob 32 in the opposite' direction to arrow 33 'whereupon the wringer rollers will commence to operate.

A wringer drive pulley 58 is positioned vertically below the pulley I5 (01' pulley 50) when the wringer is positioned as per Figure l, but if wringer 4 were rotated in the horizontal plane of this figure, since pulley I6 (or pulley 50) is offset with respect to the rotary axis 6 of the said wringer, belt 26 would be undesirably stretched. The reason for the scroll slots 8 and 9 will therefore be apparent, and by the provision thereof, I am able to make allowance or compensate for the distortion or skewing of belt 26 when the wringer 4 is rotated. 'Wringer drive pulley 58 is keyed to shaft 59, this shaft extending beneath tub I and having thereon a pinion 69 driven by worm BI keyed to motor drive shaft 62, which latter shaft may be connected by a universal joint to any source of power such as a gasolene engine. Alternatively however, and if it is desired that the washing machine shall be operated by electric motor 63, a pulley 64 will be keyed to shaft 62 and belted as at 65 to pulley 66 on the armature shaft 6! of motor 63.

Shafts 59 and 62 are suitably mounted in the bearings 66 and 61 and 68, the opposite ends of shaft 59 to that on which pulley 58 is mounted being provided with a crank arm 6.9 for the horizontally reciprocating operation of the reach I9 via connecting rod II which is rotatably con- 'nected at the ends thereof to crank 69 and the said reach Ill.

Reach I0 is positioned for the horizontal reciprocating movement aforesaid in the square bearings l2 and I3 and is provided at one end thereof with the assembly collectively designated I4 for the adjustable attachment thereto of a strap I5. This strap is passed around the agitator drive post I6 as at T1, the opposit end of strap I5 being anchored to a toggle assembly collectively designated I8 secured to and moveable with reach I0. Thus, as the reach Hi moves as indicated by arrow IS, post I6 and agitator 2 will be oscillated clockwise and counter-clockwise as indicated by arrow 99.

.Upon post 15, it should be noted, an annular projecting flange 8I is also provided to sustain strap 15 against dropping on the said post as applied to the portion II extending therearound when the strap is slackened as will be hereinafter described. 7

Assembly 14 consists of a pair of upstanding bearing brackets 82 and 3 secured in alignment with the side edges of reach it]. Extending through these brackets is a tightening shaft 84 having on the end thereof a turn bar 85, and, adjacent thereto a crown-ratchet 86 engageable with a similar ratchet 8! secured non-rotatably to bracket 82. On the portion of shaft 84 projecting outwardly from bracket 33 is a compression spring Bil maintained in place by the washer and nut assembly 89. Strap I5 is secured at the end thereof to the portion of shaft 84 between brackets 82 and 83, and from the foregoing description, it will be apparent that by rotation of bar 85, the strap 55 may be wound upon the shaft, or unwound to the desired extent by disengaging ratchet 86 and El prior to unwinding to the desired extent.

7 Toggle assembly 78 is provided to slacken the loop portion ll of strap I5 upon post I6 when it is desired to stop the agitator 2, and this toggle assembly consists of a handle 96 pivoted at 9! for rotation through a horizontal plane as indicated by arrow 92. The pivot point 9! is seen to be located upon a horizontally projecting fixtm'e 93 bolted to the side of reach 50, the fixture 93 having the contour clearly illustrated which includes the nose portion 94 having therebeneath a recess 95 to receive the shank of stud 96.

At the free end of the crank portion 9! of handle 9D is a stud 98 through which projects slot 99 of the triangular plate I99. Stud 96 aforesaid extends through an aperture provided in the opposite acutely angled corner of plate Hill, and in addition to engaging the recess 95, serves to secure the crank arm "II to plate um.

Strap I5 is anchored. around stud I 2 at the opposite end of crank arm If, the end of the strap passing around such stud and passing through the link Hi3. Uponvthe crank portion 91 of handle is a projecting lug-piece I94, and

' upon rotation of handle 90 about the pivot point U 9|, it is to be understood that strap will be slackened so that it is no longer in frictional engagement with post 76, this releasing or slackening action taking place as follows:

When handle 99 is swung as aforesaid, the lug piece I94 exerts pressure against the corner of plate Hill to which stud 96 is fastened. Thus the stud 96 is pushed out of recess 95. At the same time stud 98 may move in the slot 99, and when stud 96 has rounded the nose-portion 94 under the influence of lug piece IM, plate I9!) is free to swing about stud 98, as is also crank arm l9! about stud 86.

It should be explained that lug piece 94 and plate I90 lie in the same plane, while the crank portion 9! and crank arm l9! also lie in the same plane. Fixture 93 lies immediately below the planes of the members 9'! and I9! and it is to be understood that the shank of stud 96 projects downwardly sufficiently beyond the undersurface of crank arm 19! to engage the fixture 93 as foresaid.

When the aforesaid toggle action is released as above explained, obviously belt 75 will be entirely slack, but may immediately be tightened for further oscillation of post 19 by throwing the handle 99 back to the position of Figure 2.

Since many modifications can be made in the invention herein described and since the accompanying drawing have been prepared only to illustrate the relative arrangement and interaction of parts and not with regard to accuracy of dimensions for manufacturing purposes which in view of this disclosure I consider to entail merely mechanical skill together with the skill of the mechanical draftsman, and since man apparently widely different embodiments of this invention may be made within the spirit and scope of the accompanying claims without departing from such spirit and scope it is intended that all matter contained in the accompanying specification shall be interpreted as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A power operated washing machine comprising in combination a horizontal motor drive shaft connected to a source of power, a horizontal counter-shaft geared to said motor shaft, a crank arm attached to said counter-shaft, a connecting rod attached to said crank arm, a vertical agitator shaft, a friction roller keyed thereon, a strap around said roller, a horizontally reciprocatin reach attached to said connecting rod, a toggle and lever release on said reach, one end of said strap being attached to one end of said reach and the other to said toggle whereby said strap may be tightened and slackened about said roller lupon operation of 'said lever, means for eifectively shortening and lengthening said strap the end thereof attached to said reach, and means for sustaining that part of said strap about said roller from falling therefrom when said strap is slack.

2. In a power operated washing machine, a vertical agitator shaft, a friction roller keyed thereon, a strap around said roller, a horizontally reciprocating reach and means for operating said reach, a toggle and lever release on said reach, one end of said strap being attached to one end of said reach and the other to said toggle whereby said strap may be tightened and slackened about said roller upon operation of said lever, and means for eifectively shortening and lengthening said strap as from one end thereof.

ENOS' WOOD KYLE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 241,180 Barker May 10, 1881 1,200,983 Quesnell Oct. 10, 1916 1,205,324 Camp Nov. 21, 1916 1,364,633 Hubbard Jan. 4, 1921 1,632,118 Criner June 14, 1927 1,696,718 Kuhlmann et a1. Dec. 25, 1928 1,770,713 Schroeder July 15, 1930 1,842,807 Snyder Jan. 26, 1932 

